Molise (Italy)

In the Molise region the three partners (University of Molise, Sviluppo Italia Molise and e-Geos) actively work within the framework of land management, transport planning and earth observation and monitoring. In the past scientific research was frequently not strictly related with the operative management and development of transport infrastructures. Currently the partners are already cooperating with the e-GEOS, a private society that has decided to invest with the Region Molise to build a new high-tech center able to provide services for land management, environmental and emergency management.
A number of thematic layers related to land properties, environment characteristics and infrastructures are available. Recently this information are under integration within the framework of two on-line geographic information systems offering web services to institutions, businesses and citizens: SVA - Environmental Surveillance System (natural and anthropic risk assessment) and SIIT - Integrated Information Services for the Management of Land. Both systems use a geodatabase that consists of thematic and topographic data, air and satellite images, data from monitoring networks. These systems provide consultation data services and spatial analysis. The information available led the analysis of the transportation system in order to support its optimisation and future development. For examples the road network is analysed in a spatially explicit approach with environment emergencies in order to maximise the usefulness of future transportation development minimising their impact on environment (for examples analysing the mutual relationship between roads and ecology network connectivity).
The information stored in the system may be updated in real-time and communicated to end user related to potential risk (such as meteo, traffic status, hydraulic risk, wild-fires, etc.). For such a purpose the new standards for GPS and communication system provided by the GALILEO new generation system would be used. The system is now available (with limited access) at http://geoportale.protezionecivile.molise.it/gov
Based on these experiences and in force of the political addresses that have received, the partners want to study and design a decision support system for the optimisation and sustainable development of transportation network in Regione Molise. The analysis and the potential tools, as well as specific reports, will enable decision makers to optimize the supply of public transport by making it more appropriate and to modulate it according to the current and potential demand.

Sviluppo Italia Molise is the regional development agency of Molise Region; it has enhanced the experience and expertise specializing in services supporting territorial development, the creation and consolidation of business, technical assistance to public administration, including the management of EU funds, national and regional.

Relevant skills and experience:
SI Molise has always been known for operating on an institutional approach by offering services to both citizens and business and to the government. Among the most relevant projects:
- Equal-ARTEMIS International Project in collaboration with the University of Molise and 12 other national and international partners, aimed at identifying methods of work integration of disabled people;
- Design and implementation of No 2 European projects INTERREG "Ceda 1" (1999-2001) and "Ceda" 2 (2003-2005) on behalf of the Molise Region, in partnership with 20 Regional Development Agencies in 8 countries, with the aim to transfer best practices on enterprise development in Balkan countries and to create a network of development agencies;
- Programme of investment attraction in the region of Molise. The contract was awarded following a call for tenders issued by the Molise Region and funded on POP 94-99

The University of Molise is actively involved in a number of EU funded research projects and is experienced in FP projects. It is represented by the Department of Environmental Science and Technologies (DISTAT). The unit is composed of 12 scientists, 3 technicians and 3 administrative persons.

Relevant skills and experience:
Several research areas are active in the field of environmental monitoring and assessment; those more strictly related to this project are referred to monitoring and assessment of land resources and the impact of human activities (road network and traffic) on health and environment. A laboratory of geomatics within DISTAT is specifically equipped with software and hardware resources for remote sensing, spatial analysis and traditional Geographic Information System processes.

e-GEOS, a Telespazio (80%) / ASI (20%) company, is a leading international player in the geo-spatial business. e-GEOS offers a complete range of products and services in the Earth Observation and in the geo-spatial application domains, based on both optical and radar satellites as well as on aerial surveys. The Rome-based company employs more than 300 people and operates through the Earth Observation centres in Matera (Italy) and Neustrelitz (Germany). As the European hub for VHR (Very High Resolution) data, e-GEOS grants unique access to the COSMO-SkyMed, GeoEye-1, IKONOS, Radarsat, Envisat, QuickBird and WorldView and IRS satellites.

Relevant skills and experience:
e-GEOS owns and operates the Multi-mission station located at the Matera Space Centre, where data from several EO satellites (COSMO-SkyMed, Envisat, ERS-2, Radarsat-1&2 and others) are downlinked and processed both for commercial services and services to the Italian Space Agency and the European Space Agency. The company also owns the GeoEye-1 and IKONOS imaging and processing facility in Neustrelitz, which is operated through Euromap and the DLR (German Aerospace Agency). e-GEOS is one of the main industrial players in the European GMES Program where it leads projects such as GMOSAIC (Management of Operations, Situation Awareness and Intelligence for regional Crises) LIMES (Land and Sea Integrated Monitoring for Environment and Security) and LinkER (Supporting Action for the implementation of operational GMES services in Emergency Response) for the European Union as well as MARISS (Maritime Security Services) for the European Space Agency.